Beaver Lake, Wisconsin Saturday May 31, 2008

Saturday May 31, 2008 Beaver Lake, Wisconsin (Hartland)

Today we had the pleasure of reconnecting with our friends Kim and Scott Lucas. They had been friends of ours when we first moved to Vancouver, WA. Kim had worked for HP with Bruce. We had not seen them in 19 years and when we arrived to their lakefront home, it was as if we had not missed a day!

What an incredibly enjoyable time we had. The lake that they live on is the turquoise of the Caribbean because of its morel, limestone bottom. Can you imagine looking out on a lake that color in the dead of winter with snow all over the ground? It was clear and inviting from their pontoon boat, but a bit nippy to try.

After a wonderful dinner, catching up with our life journeys and drinking one too many bottles of wine, we took them up on their offer and spent the night in their guest room…we owe you people a
payback in California!

Watertown, Wisconsin Friday, May 30, 2008

Friday May 30, 2008 Watertown, WI

Today we left Lake Geneva with high hopes of a short, leisurely ride through the countryside to our next stop, Watertown, WI. Unfortunately, we developed a water problem in the trailer and needed to have it serviced. Luckily, it turned out to have a simple solution, but it took a few hours to accomplish. Our little hot water heater needed to be flushed as the sediment was clogging our water pipes and we were losing pressure…maintenance that we hadn’t thought of!??

Once we took off we were ushered through rolling hills and green pastures of Wisconsin’s famous dairy farms…now I know why the cheese of Wisconsin is so good! The farms reminded me of the Amish…very clean and orderly.

We made it into our campground in Watertown where we enjoyed a celebratory toast to the purchase of our new home in California. The escrow process went smoothly and we closed the deal via the internet.

We were officially homeless for 71 days, and honestly loved the freedom! The sellers are renting back for June and July, so we can now begin thinking about paint colors and changes to really make it our own. For all of you that would like our new address is: 8813 Barrister Lane Fair Oaks, CA 95628

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Thursday, May 29, 2008

Thursday May 29, 2008 Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Before leaving camp, I called the mother of my dear WA friend (Rhea) to see if she might be available for dinner. We decided to make a beeline through Chicago and up into the southeastern corner of Wisconsin and thought that it would be fun to connect. She was thrilled to hear from us and looked forward to our arrival.

Driving through the fertile farmland of southern Michigan and seeing the hills patch worked with orchards of apples, pears and blueberries made the ride very enjoyable. As we approached the Indiana border, we were caught up in heavy and higher speed traffic. With the confusion of traffic and detour signs, I knew that Chicago would be on the horizon in no time. Bruce had worked on the GPS mapping a route that would skirt the windy city and get us beyond its borders before commute traffic formed. Unfortunately, with the smog and lack of wind, the city had a hazy skyline at best.

 We were abruptly diverted onto Hwy 90, which threw our byway out the window. Instead, we drove past “US Steel” for miles and miles. What a HUGE industrial site! Coughing up coins for the toll road, traffic came to a halt with yet more road construction and the merging of freeway lanes. The blessing to me was that everyone was creeping at 45 mph…including the semi trucks! Feeling the pull of our rig into those monster piggyback carriers can be a bit frightening. There have been a couple of days where my hands felt arthritic until I realized that I had been gripping the steering wheel for hours!

Soon the urban maze of freeways led back to the rural farmlands as we arrived in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin…Four states (MI, IN, IL, WI) and six hours later, we set up camp and were off to dinner at the Inn at Lake Geneva. Our friend, Peg picked out a wonderful location that overlooked the lake and was quiet enough to sit and visit. The view of the lake at sunset was magnificent and we had fun watching the old wooden pedestrian ferries crises-cross the lake with passengers.

Lake Geneva was apparently a hidden jewel until the big Chicago fire (Mrs. Brown’s cow) in the late 1800’s, when wealthy families were moved there for safety. Among others, the Wrigley family soon bought up water front lots to build summer homes on. The estates and homes still stand and are enjoyed by the heirs. “Playboy” even had their exclusive club in Lake Geneva!

South Haven, Michigan Wednesday May 28, 2008

Wednesday May 28, 2008 South Haven, Michigan

This quaint turn of the century town is along the southeast border of Lake Michigan. It also has a sizable marina that sits protected inside an inlet. The historical town center sits on a bluff with a dynamite water view. Small art galleries, cafes and fine gift shops line the renovated center. The brick buildings mirror the color of the lighthouse that sits at the opening of the inlet. Did you know that Michigan is the state with the most lighthouses? True!

We spent quite a bit of time driving the waterfront and enjoying the view. We stopped at the chamber of commerce for local information including a recommendation of a place to get lunch. She suggested us visiting Sherman’s Ice Cream factory. She did NOT have to repeat her recommendation twice for Bruce! We found the place and would have to say that the local dairies did a wonderful job of producing such good cream...and the hot fudge was not bad either!

Silver Lake, Michigan Tuesday May 27, 2008

May 27, 2008 Silver Lake, Michigan

Today we did indeed wake up to freezing temperatures. I am not certain that Bruce got much sleep last night, worried about pipes freezing in our trailer. He did leave a small drip to flow into a sink overnight, so all was fine in the morning. The morning walk with Maizy was brisk and even she seemed to have a sense of urgency in her pace…like,  "get me back inside!" I was happy to oblige.

The winds howled across the dunes most of the day. We were hopeful in getting out on the dunes for a ride. We finally headed towards the small town and realized that until school ends for the kids, summer does not begin until then. Most all of the businesses only operate on weekends until summer.  The dune buggy rides had been cancelled because of the high winds. The owner said that it was too dangerous to have sand flying both at the vehicles and at the occupants. He also told us that some of the homes near the dunes had actually been buried over the years by the creeping sand. We drove around the community and could actually see what he was talking about.

We did get to visit the town of Pentwater, which sits on the banks of Lake Michigan. It has a large inlet that allows people to get their boats onto the lake from small lakes and canals that border the community. By the number of cute shops and cottages, it must be a booming place in the summer.

Pier Rebar

Sea grass plants to help slow the creeping sand

Silver Lake, Michigan May 26, 2008 Monday

May 26, 2008 - Silver Lake, Michigan

Today is Memorial Day and not a great day to be out on the road, but necessary. We’ve been watching the weather and need to leave Bay City and dodge a front that is moving in. Fortunately most drivers are heading away from the sand dune area of Western Michigan. Unfortunately the weather front is moving east, so we will be fighting a nasty head wind. We are staying at Silver Creek RV Resort on Silver Lake which is on the western shore of Lake Michigan.

Tomorrow we are hoping to take a tour of the giant dunes. The Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources has preserved this area and tightly monitors the vehicles that are licensed to ride on the dunes. It is to be 44 degrees tonight and 33 degrees on Tuesday night! I think we’re going to have to break into the duffel bags that hold our cold weather clothing! Surprisingly after living in Florida for eight year, we still have winter clothes.  Burrrrrr!!!

May 24-25, 2008 Bay City, Michigan

May 24-25, 2008  Bay City, Michigan

Happy Birthday to Jan and Walt!

Saturday morning (May 24th) we left Indiana and headed north to Bay City, Michigan where my Dad had spent much of his youth. His younger brother (Related through the marriage of Dude, my father's step father, to Susan Brisette, "Pete" who had been married to Dude's nephew) lives there and although it had been 45 years since we had seen one another we wasted no time in catching up. He had a large yard and asked that we park our trailer there and stay with him. After driving for six hours we were happily pampered with a wonderful BBQ and a short sunset tour.

The next morning a second cousin, Bill, showed up to surprise me. We had played as kids back in the summer of 1963. Because he has spent his life in Bay City, he volunteered to show us all of the places that had been a part of my Dad’s life in Michigan. It was a full 12 hour day of touring and listening to old stories…which ended with a buffet dinner at a local pub. The place was very modest in outward appearances, but the cook was a well kept secret! Fantastic regional food and fantastic company.

Bay City is a very depressed town that has two rivers flowing through it (Kawkawlin and Saginaw) and sits on the bank of Saginaw Bay that opens into Lake Huron.

Many homes are boarded up and businesses have closed. Farms and agriculture are visible in the countryside with local asparagus being harvested in May. Large turn of the century Victorian homes line wide boulevards, reminding locals of the great logging boom and better times.

The taverns have survived as well as “party stores.” I thought that a party store was a place that sold wrapping paper and party supplies, but when I read a sign in front of one, I got a different picture!!!....”Beer, Booze, Bait and Bullets…Party Store”

On a side note, Butch had a very troubled life.  From the time that he was young, he would intervene with fights between his father and mother.  Neither his father or mother had jobs that brought in enough income to sustain the small family. Tension was high and booze was part of the life style.

While living in Bay City and going to school, Butch opened up a "bait shop" in one end of Aunt Bid's house.  He would get up early and go catch bait or dig up worms to sell for fishermen.  It was a solid business but a lot of work for a high school student.

When Butch was old enough, he enlisted in the army.  It was during the Viet Nam war.  When officials saw what a good marksman Butch was (precision shooting) they offered him a "special project" with a special group of men in Viet Nam..."in the interest of National Security!"   He agreed and was shipped off to Viet Nam.  He did not wear a uniform and worked under cover where needed.  His pay came in a different form than other military
On a side note, Butch had a very troubled life.  From the time that he was young, he would intervene with fights between his father and mother.  Neither his father or mother had jobs that brought in enough income to sustain the small family. Tension was high and booze was part of the life style.

While living in Bay City and going to school, Butch opened up a "bait shop" in one end of Aunt Bid's house.  He would get up early and go catch bait or dig up worms to sell for fishermen.  It was a solid business but a lot of work for a high school student.

When Butch was old enough he enlisted in the army.  It was during the Viet Nam war.  When officials saw what a good marksman Butch was (precision shooting) they offered him a "special project" with a special group of men in Viet Nam...in the interest of National Security!   He agreed and was shipped off to Viet Nam.  He did not wear a uniform and worked under cover where needed.  His pay came in a different form than other military personnel (out of Japan).

He was in Viet Nam until he contracted malaria.  He was treated, shipped back to the states with a clean bill of health and eventually discharged honorably.  Years later the malaria symptoms returned which caused him to go on quinine which was quite expensive.

Butch lived in Fresno with his wife (never had kids) for a number of years.  Butch owned and operated a heating/air conditioning business. They both fell into ill health because of their weight.  She ended up dieing from diabetes complications.  Being alone and continuing to run the business, his sister Corky offered to help.  She helped alright and took most of his money and ran!  He had to close the business and with a small income had to moved back to Bay City where the cost of living was more affordable.

With the expense of quinine for his continued malaria problems, someone suggested that he go to the VA hospital where he could get help as a veteran.  He did that and they had absolutely NO RECORD that he had ever served in the military!  He checked with another buddy in his same troop.  He had been denied veteran medical help for the same reason.  Their "special projects" apparently were high risk and done through the military but under cover.  It was so top secret (an possibly illegal) that the government erased any records of them being affiliated with the military.  They had followed orders, risked their lives and were denied their rightful benefits!  A crime by our government!  Butch died in 2011.(out of Japan).

He was in Viet Nam until he contracted malaria.  He was treated, shipped back to the states with a clean bill of health and eventually discharged honorably.  Years later the malaria symptoms returned which caused him to go on quinine which was quite expensive.

Butch lived in Fresno with his wife (never had kids) for a number of years.  Butch owned and operated a heating/air conditioning business. They both fell into ill health because of their weight.  She ended up dieing from diabetes complications.  Being alone and continuing to run the business, his sister Corky offered to help.  She helped alright and took most of his money and ran!  He had to close the business and with a small income had to moved back to Bay City where the cost of living was more affordable.

With the expense of quinine for his continued malaria problems, someone suggested that he go to the VA hospital where he could get help as a veteran.  He did that and they had absolutely NO RECORD that he had ever served in the military!  He checked with another buddy in his same troop.  He had been denied veteran medical help for the same reason.  Their "special projects" apparently were high risk and done through the military but under cover.  It was so top secret (an possibly illegal) that the government erased any records of them being affiliated with the military.  They had followed orders, risked their lives and were denied their rightful benefits!  A crime by our government!  Butch died in 2011.

May 22-23, 2008 Snow Lake, Indiana

May 22-23, 2008 - Snow Lake, Indiana

We have friends from our neighborhood in Florida who live half year in Muncie, Indiana and half year in Deerfield Beach, FL. We’ve enjoyed getting to know them over the past eight years, sharing dinners, fishing together and meeting their visiting friends and family.

Bob and Claudia Broyle have had the good fortune of owning two cottages on Snow Lake along the Michigan border in north eastern Indiana. They have shared stories and pictures with us and have painted a magical “On Golden Pond” or “What About Bob” family vacation setting. Memorial Day weekend for most of the seasonal residents was a time to open things up for the busy summer season. We had the good fortune of stopping to help and enjoy a short visit.
 
Although I have experienced my share of dirt on this trip, I have missed doing yard work. I joined Claudia in going to the most gorgeous flower nursery that I have ever seen. The owners grow the flowers in four hot houses and are open and completely sold out of their inventory within three weeks during May!!! After buying flats of flowers we returned to plant them in pots around the deck which really added the punch of color and interest needed.

Neighbors were out doing the same and calling back to one another, inquiring how each others winters had been. You could hear the echoes of laughter by adults and giggles of children through the forest. There was a real sense of community where the people genuinely care about one another. Of course many of these people are into their third generation and share a history together.

The experience was a wonderful diversion from camping. We got to eat in a kitchen, sleep in a bedroom and shower without wearing flip-flops!!! Thank-you, Broyles! I will work for your pork chops anytime!!!

Tuesday May 20-21, 2008 Cave City, Kentucky

May 20, 2008 - Cave City, Kentucky

Bruce had another work day with teleconferences. I decided to pack up the dog, my camera and take off on a ride in the country. I had heard about a valley where Amish had settled on farms. The day was sunny and bright filtering through the forest that I traveled through to get to the valley.

Viceroy butterflies (look like Monarchs) fluttered in the streams of light and seemed to be dancing a ballet in the gentle breeze. It’s hard to imagine seeing them two years ago in October, beginning their migration from Acadia National Park back down to South America. And here I was in Kentucky’s National Park seeing them on their trek north!

After taking a free and very small ferry ride across the Green River, I found the valley…picturesque as described.

 It was easy to pick out the Amish farms as the ones with handmade clothing billowing on a clothes line and no visible connection to any electrical power source. The wren bird houses perched on poles reminded me of the movie The Witness with Harrison Ford. A new creation of dried gourds with holes bored in the side and suspended from a pole gave birds a different house design to choose from! I found a beautiful clean and tidy house with a “jams and jellies” sign out front. I stopped to inquire about the
homemade items, but know one was around.

When I returned to the car, I saw a barn across the way with Amish buggies standing at attention. I couldn’t resist a “Cannon” moment and took a few pictures for memory sake.

I returned to camp just about when Bruce was completing what I thought was a cell phone conversation with a client. I quietly entered the trailer and gently placed a Blizzard from Dairy Queen to the side of his computer. When he finished he came out and told me that he was on a “video” conference and was delicately handling the topic of becoming healthier and weight conscious! Can you imagine how it must have seemed to see a huge blizzard cross the screen, while discussing health??? Timing is everything!!!

Our time in Kentucky ended today (Wed. May 21st) as we cross into Indiana, but not before taking an enjoyable back road ride to Abraham Lincoln’s modest birth cabin and exhibit. I felt like I was back in school on a field trip. The actual cabin is preserved in a monument replicating the big Lincoln Memorial in DC. He has always been a hero to Bruce and I, so it was a delightful time spent reading more facts about his life.

 

Tonight we spend in yet another Cracker Barrel Restaurant parking lot outside of Indianapolis. Tomorrow we head up to the Michigan border to connect with Florida friends who have a couple of summer lake homes. Memorial Day weekend is the weekend to open up and set up for the season…a work weekend, I’m told. I am looking forward to some exercise and helping with the work.

On The Road May 18-19, 2008

May 18-19, 2008 - On the Road

We hit the road early to make our way north and out of Florida. Before leaving we got to experience the “highest point in Florida” which was a hill of 345 feet!!! Although it’s not enough to cause us to be lightheaded, it was a clear indication of how flat Florida really is!

As I saw the “welcome to Alabama” sign ahead, I grabbed Bruce’s hand and said, “OK Babes, this is it!” We crossed over, never looking back, but looking forward in anticipation of our next adventure.

The morning’s freshness added a familiar coolness and sweet smell to the air, making the back road connection to Hwy 65 a pleasant ride. I had no idea how agricultural the northern Florida/southern Alabama area was. Golden fields of wheat and oats carpeted the gentle rolling hills. The quietness abruptly ended as we merged onto the highway pointing north. Semi trucks flying past made for white knuckle driving until I got into the grove of the game and the sway of the trailer in tow.

We made good timing and pulled into an Athens, Alabama’s Cracker Barrel Restaurant parking lot for the night. Bruce ordered dinner while I fed Maizy and tried to reposition things in the trailer to accommodate the three of us to sleep. We had the company of about three other trailers that were spending the night there as well. Somehow there really is comfort in numbers.

As we prepared to leave Monday morning, Bruce made his rounds to check our connections and tires. He called me over to look at a rear trailer tire which had four bulges on the side walls where it appeared that the steel belts were separating at the seams.

Thankfully we found a Good Year dealership right down the street. A serviceman came out to inspect the tires, made a call to his boss and then informed us that it was normal and not under warranty.

I looked into his eyes and asked him if he would feel comfortable driving all the way to California with the tires? He retreated and came out with the store manager who looked at the tires and said nothing.

With no agreement to replace the tires, Bruce asked if the two of them could stand while we took a picture of them to send to our daughters so that they would know who was responsible should anything happen to their parents during their drive to California.  With that the manager went back into the store and ordered the tires to be replaced!!!

While the serviceman checked the tires again he pointed out that all of the tires needed high pressure stems to avoid blow outs. Thank God that all of this happened when it did.

The ride north was outstanding and the 200 miles flew by. Crossing into Tennessee and then Kentucky.   I saw my first real plantation with slave cabins made from hand hew logs. The Jack Daniels distillery and historic sites like, the home of Davie Crocket, the Red River Valley (a song that I learned as a child), and Kentucky Downs beckoned us to detour, but we passed. It was a revelation how many famous places and faces are from Kentucky…not to mention Kentucky blue grass and Kentucky Blue Grass music! Entertainers and journalist like Diane Sawyer, Muhammad Ali, and the Judd’s, Johnny Depp, George Clooney and many more come from the state.


We arrived in Cave City, Kentucky by 3pm and were able to catch the last tour of nearby Mammoth Caves, given by a National Park Ranger. There were only three of us on the tour, so we had an excellent “extended tour.” Ironically the other person on the tour was from Sacramento, California!!

Our geology lesson was both interesting and informative. Salt Peter was mined out of the main cave during the Civil War and as recent as the 1930’s church services were held in one of the sections of the cave. As the story goes, people would come in with kerosene lanterns, which were collected as they arrived and were seated for the service. The pastor took his spot up on a limestone outcropping and had a captive audience since no one could see there way out without their lantern! The smoke markings are still above his pulpit! I can imagine that there weren’t any nodding heads during the service with an air temperature of 54 degrees!


The main rotunda of the cave was pretty impressive and almost looked like a ceiling that would be found in a state capitol building…including the crown molding. Because the cave is out of limestone, the stalactites and stalagmites have worn off, so it lacks the textural and visual interest of other US caves.

Navarre, Florida Fri. May 16-17, 2008

May 16-17, 2008 - Navarre, Florida

The day was another stormy day, so we hung out at the campground, stretching our legs between weather fronts. We drove back into Niceville, Florida (sounds like a Jim Carey movie!) to pick up the motor after being repaired. While out that way, we ventured over to Destin beach. I’m not quite sure what the big draw is. Perhaps on a better day, it would reveal that beautiful turquoise water against the white sand. I guess we’ll only experience that through pictures.



Navarre Beach, directly on the Gulf of Mexico was desolate and eerie. We began to notice that all of the houses were newly constructed or under construction. The white sand beaches were speckled with what appeared to be black charcoal from beach fires. A closer look revealed that the black pieces were really chunks of black top and that the road that we were on was newly paved. We stopped to get gas and inquired about what we had observed. The attendant said that the beach had a direct hit from hurricane Ivan three years prior. It had toppled all but three homes and pealed back the road bed, scattering it along the sand for miles...

The rain of the storm fell all night long followed by howling winds. The community of Navarre was holding Founder’s Day celebrations over the weekend on the beach. I was told that it was a yearly event and something that everyone anticipates…art festival, food, music and fireworks. I was looking forward to witnessing all of the fanfare and local color. In the morning (Saturday May 17th) however, we opened our trailer door to find a flood in our campsite. Bruce called the office for help. A man was sent out immediately to unplug the storm drain. Apparently everything that we had stored under the trailer had floated and plugged up the storm drain. Luckily our door mat and everything else was retrieved and not washed away. The water drained and the day was spent cleaning up and drying out instead of playing on the beach.



Luckily the skies opened up a gorgeous, sunny, clear day. Being the packer that I am, I was bound to utilize every space. We had packed a couple of ice chests, one of which is very large and used for boating. I filled one with kayak life jackets and the larger one had extra pillows, a quilt and our beach towels. With everything outside showing a water mark of about 6 inches, I decided half way through the day to check the contents of the ice chests…assuming of course that they were water tight!...WRONG! Everything inside was floating in water! How the heck that happened I have no idea, but what I did know, was that I had a half of a day left to dry out everything. I got out every folding chair and table that I could find and draped some form of soggy linen over them! Most of the campgrounds have a “no clothes line” rule, so that the place is left looking tidy. Well, we had a real circus going on
in our site…and a site it was.

By days end, everything was dry, folded and stored. That night we enjoyed a BBQ and watched fire works from the campground dock…silently thinking that it was a wonderful end to our life in Florida!

Navarre, Florida Thurs. May 15, 2008

May 15, 2008 - Navarre, Florida

Bruce had agreed to help complete my visitation to all 50 states by escorting me on a 200 mile (mileage one way) trip to New Orleans. The trip would cross through Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana…the last three on my list.

Unfortunately God did not intend that to happen. 120 miles into our drive we were on a six mile causeway over lowlands and marshy grass, when all daylight suddenly turned to night. The splat of large rain drops began and soon the wipers could no longer keep up with the water volume. I put on my hazard lights as I slowed down to keep the crawling pace of the car in front of us.

Bruce tuned into a local station whose announcer blurted out, “If you are in a vehicle, get out immediately and take cover…tornado warning!” Looking at the GPS and realizing that we had another five miles to go before the next exit, I began shifting my eyes over the railing to see how far of a drop it would be if we had to jump!...not a possibility!!! It was so dark that I was certain the tornado was near.

We made it to the next exit which happened to be a rest area. A State trooper was there and suggested that all those that were huddled under the structures eaves, “stay put until the storm passes!” Everyone complied and with that Bruce and I bagged the idea of traveling to New Orleans. When the weather lightened up, we began our journey back to camp realizing that the tornado had passed right where we had been! ...Thank you God for your protection!!!

Navarre, Florida Wed. May 14, 2008

May 14, 2008 - Navarre, Florida

I ventured out to do some serious grocery shopping. Luckily there was a new Publix (Florida based store) where I loaded up on inexpensive “Badia” herbs, and spices, Goya brands and things that are localized to Florida and that I may not find in California.

One of the joys about living in different regions of the US is the vast difference in culture and gastronomic delicacies. The bummer is when you leave the area, you become hard pressed to find the same ingredients elsewhere! The Cuban, Spanish and Caribbean flavors have been fun to experiment with and something that I hope to recreate in the west.

We were looking forward to meeting up with the son of our good friends the Lucia’s. Ryan is stationed at Ft Walton in the Army following time in Afghanistan. He will be shipped over to Italy the end of the month. In the end his schedule did not allow us to connect. We might have to catch up with him in Italy! Ha!

Navarre, FL Tues. May 13, 2008

May 13, 2008 - Navarre, Florida

Today we left our little piece of paradise and solitude for the more commercialized digs of the Destin area. We settled into the comfortable Navarre Beach Campground which is just west of Destin.

The drive was fairly uneventful and although it was only 120 miles, it took us nearly six hours to get there! We did stop along the way to leave off the motor for the inflatable to get serviced.

The feeling of the area is: MILITARY… Army, Air Force and Naval bases which are on prime, waterfront real estate.

The campground was on Santa Rosa Sound, just in from the Gulf. Although warm, the weather was windy and the water had a slight amber tannin color to it, which was not how we had pictured the area to be.

May 9-10,2008

May 9-10, 2008 - Carrabelle, FL

Still here, still doing more of the same. We've called ahead to Destin, Florida to make reservations and were quoted a price of $139 per night from one RV Resort... for the enjoyment of sleeping in our own bed and doing our own room service!?? Right!?? We've decided to cool our jets here until Tuesday and then venture on down the road to a more reasonable place.

Bruce had another lucky day with fishing. He actually caught one sea trout and one red fish on two separate poles, at the same time. He said that it took a little maneuvering, holding one pole between his legs as he reeled the other one in. He measured each fish to make certain that they were legal. Unfortunately he didn't have knowledge of the minimum length for a red fish. It measured 19 1/2 inches and he thought the minimum was 20 inches, so he released it. He then called me on the walkie talkie to look at the fish ruler and tell him what the red fish minimum length was. I told him that it was 18 inches...the one released was a keeper! Oh well, one trout for the two of us, is more than enough for a meal!

Rain is predicted for tomorrow, so we've been weatherizing our campsite. Our awning would be great protection, but when the wind kicks up, there's too much stress on the support legs and it's necessary to collapse it. Which means that the three of us are inside our cozy quarters, doing inside things. Thankfully when sand gets wet, the rain water disappears quickly making it much easier to manage then mud!

We'll be joining some fellow campers for church service tomorrow in town, maybe grab some lunch and Bruce has volunteered to do laundry as my Mother's Day gift! Sounds like a perfect day to get into a book that Kimberly gave me to read, Tales of a Female Nomad.

Thursday May 8, 2008

May 8, 2008 - Carrabelle, Florida

Today we decided to venture beyond our campground boundaries and explore the St George Strait. The wind was up and made for a better day inside the truck then being sandblasted on the beach. We had heard from some of the campers that Apalachicola was worthy of a visit…if nothing more than to go to lunch and partake in a feast of fresh local harvested oysters.

Our outing was again, more than we had imagined. The drive northwest was pleasant and followed the gentle curves of the coastline. Occasional road construction slowed our pace and made us take notice of recent past hurricane destruction. Without proper shoring, Katrina and Wilma would certainly claim more land for the Strait and the road would surrender, isolating people from this region.

Crossing the Hwy 98 Bridge at East Bay, we passed over the Apalachicola River where it met the Gulf of Mexico. There is a huge bay aquatic preserve and a very serious effort by citizens to protect the natural environment of this delicate ecosystem.

The bridge curved around and gently placed us into the heart of the historic district. The well preserved turn of the century buildings painted images of a quaint seaside village…its back drop was the River bordered by a serious fleet of rusted and weathered fishing boats. We quickly became aware of the two major sustaining forces in the community…oysters and art!


We were unable to find a recommended restaurant and settled for one called, The Boss. We found a parking spot in the shade for our dog’s comfort, while we ventured in to scan the elaborate menu. I have never seen so many ways to fix oysters. The chef basically offered oysters on the half shell raw or baked with a topping of your choice. We decided on a half dozen to sample along with a basket of scallops, also native to the local waters. Our camping neighbors from Maryland, who were self proclaimed oyster connoisseurs, rated these “10” and we would have to agree.

Following lunch, I was off to explore the town and the local artwork. I’m not into tacky souvenirs for the sake of buying something. I like to hunt for the regional talents of fine artists…not necessarily to buy, but to enjoy for enjoyments sake.

Bruce parked himself in a tiny bookstore to scan maps and local lore. Before leaving him, I did find and buy a delightful book to share with my little nieces and nephews next month. It is a colorful book by a local author and is about Myrtle the Turtle. It’s a wonderful age appropriate book that teaches kids about the life cycle of the loggerhead turtles that inhabit the waters of Florida. At the end of the book, there is an opportunity for people to adopt a turtle and actually be able to track its movement and life online! It is our responsibility to educate our little ones to the sustainability of our natural surroundings. I found this to be a delightful, poetic story to do just that!

Our day was full as we ventured to the furthest spot, St. Joseph Peninsula State Park before returning to our little Carrabelle community. We had heard about Steiner’s Seafood and after having a teasing sample at lunch of oysters, we stopped to buy a pint for dinner…the cost, $7.00!!!

Upon our return to camp, I asked Bruce to help crush crackers. Without a mallet or my cuisinart he found great success in putting them in a zip lock and stomping on them!!!...yep, with the feet!!! The breading recipe was one that Bruce’s aunt shared from Key West…simple and good. I have to say that the cooking experience was like the fishes and loaves story!...the small oysters just kept coming out of the pint container! I told Bruce at one point that we were in serious need of some help eating them.

We sat outside to enjoy the sweet shell fish (they seemed to lack the iodine flavor of the Pacific variety), when a neighbor stopped by to chat. Upon offering, he happily sat consumed the remainder of the oysters, disappeared and returned with four pounds of fresh jumbo raw shrimp to share!!! It was a great impromptu trade and gave us something to look forward to sampling tomorrow night...and some for the freezer!

Wed. May 7, 2008

Carrabelle, Florida

This morning was a lazy day as I allowed myself to sleep in until 8am! Bruce was up getting gear together for a day of fishing. Unfortunately the wind has kicked up, making it a bit choppy out in the water. Bruce has never been adversely affected by water motion, so with a little help shoving off, he set his eyes on a perfect spot to drop a line.

I on the other hand, took care of bills and business affairs in my mobile office while sipping a cup of freshly ground and brewed Peets coffee from Berkeley, California…one of my treats! While roughing it out on the open road, I still have little pleasures that I afford myself…decaf Sumatra being one of them!

After sweeping sand out of the trailer (ongoing task), and feeding the dog, Maizy and I were off on our morning walk. Once again I am awe struck that a place like this still exists…that is to say, a natural, beautiful habitat that has not been developed into a tourist destination. I believe the little community fights hard to keep it this way.

Today I found a log at the end of the beach and just sat, quietly closing my eyes and enjoying the warmth of the sun and cooling breeze. The sounds of the rhythmic surf were ideal for praying and meditating on the beauty of God’s creation and the good fortune of having the time and means of enjoying it. I am overwhelmed with gratitude at having this opportunity. We could not be doing this without all of the many years of hard work by Bruce. To see him out enjoying his hunt for the perfect fishing spot and to tell the tale of the experience makes my heart smile.

I understand that for many, camping is not of remote interest. For Bruce and me, we grew up in families where the only vacation that we could afford was to go camping. My Dad, being a science teacher, had the ability to open our curiosity about nature…to see it as a living entity of our planet. We learned to enjoy yet respect all aspects of our environment. My simple enjoyment of finding the skeleton of a hermit crab or tossing a piece of drift wood into the surf to watch Maizy splash through the water are elements of amazement to me. Simple pleasures…all good stuff!

Bruce returned with a large speckled sea trout for dinner about mid day. Although he caught two salt water cat fish, which he released, one fish for the two of us was plenty.

Weather reports for tomorrow have come in with predicted rain. Today is our 28th day on the road and we have not had any rain thus far. I am certain that the area needs is, so we’ll have to make preparations this afternoon. I smelled heavy smoke in the air last night, and it was not a campfire. We did see that there is a ‘moderate’ fire warning at the local fire station, so I'm sure that rain will be welcomed.

Tuesday May 6, 2008

May 6, 2008 - Carrabelle, Florida

Today is a work day for Bruce. He has two conference calls to make in the afternoon for the executive coaching that he’s doing. Shortly after setting up camp, we realized that the downfall to rural life is the lack of cell phone coverage. There is no T-Mobile in or out of the town center. That can be both good and bad, so we are thankful for at least having computer access. Bruce was able to activate “Skype”, a free system that enables people to communicate through video or voice over their computers. After making his preparations, Bruce put on a dress shirt and sat at the dinette table of our trailer in his swim trunks for his video conference! I took the dog for another swim/play session along the beach. Upon the completion of his conference, I asked him how it went. He said that it went fine, until the air conditioner cycled off and he began to get warm and inadvertently started to unbutton his shirt!!! The guy on the other side of the video conference asked Bruce if he was in his trailer. Of course Bruce answered honestly and with that picked up his laptop and slowly turned it around so that the guy could tour our trailer!...luckily the bed was made! Ha!

Tonight I was able to test Windows Live Messenger with a video conversation with our daughter Kimberly. It was so totally cool seeing her face on the computer screen and hearing her voice as well. This is a mind blowing technology to me and I’m certain this is a primitive state. No telling what’s to come in the future!??

A Good Samaritan camping group from Georgia has moved in and taken a number of campsites for an annual rally. It is a small, respectful group of mostly retired folks. Many of the elderly spend their time in the small social hall playing cards most of the day. Maybe it is sensitivity to the sunlight or just stubbornness…I simply can’t relate when there’s an amazing natural habitat thriving right outside the door wanting to be enjoyed! The rest of the group are out socializing and stopping by other sites to say hi or share a story.

One such character, James Green parked himself in one of our chairs under the shade of the awning this afternoon and shared some interesting stories of his life in south, central Georgia. Although captivated by his southern accent and delightful humor, one story will forever affect me.

James lives on a lake in a house where he and his wife raised their three sons. Out in the country, he also owns about 300 acres of pine and hardwood forest that he inherited from his folks. He has been an engineer by profession, designing and building the electrical grid system for Georgia Power and Light as well as the landing field lighting system for Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport… a couple of his small projects. His humble way of mentioning his career accomplishments was impressive and drew me into an instant respect. He seemed to claim no glory for his human involvement.

In his retirement, James has been working with the Georgia Forestry Commission along with the US Department of Natural Resources and is attempting to build and maintain a natural habitat for the plants and wild animals on his property. He is part of a Forest Stewardship Plan which sounds like quite a detailed and defined effort in sustainability

A little over a year ago, he was to meet a state official on his land to review the improvements he had made and receive additional advice. James had built a pad to park his motor home on the property and told his wife that he wanted to go out and spend a week working on the project. She expected him home on Friday.

James is a man of large stature, but appeared fit until I noticed a special leg stocking and brace. Apparently he left, as planned, to go out to the property for his meeting and to work on the land. After the official left, James took off on a four wheeler to survey a pond that he was hoping to enlarge. He decided to climb a steep embankment for a better view and flipped the four wheeler. It landed on his back…and pinned him. There was no way that he could budge the thing off of himself. The engine was hot and he could smell and feel gasoline dripping onto his jeans.

Luckily an ax fell out of the vehicle near him along with a plastic bottle. For the next two days he was able to push the bottle over to the edge of the pond and get water to sip on. He had the ax to protect himself from wild boar, coyote and water moccasins that inhabit the area! On the third day, he heard his wife calling out to him. She had decided to drive out to the property on Tuesday evening to surprise him and when she couldn't find him in the motor home she went hunting. When she found him she immediately called 911. The last memory that he had was being put into the ambulance. Two months later he awoke from an induced coma. The gasoline had been absorbed through his jeans, burned his skin and had eaten away at the muscle in his leg. He had been poisoned and had major body systems shutting down. He was hooked up to ventilators and respirators, monitors and alike to keep him alive. He survived after multiple surgeries and weeks of physical therapy. He believes that God protected and spared him for a greater purpose. I have no doubt in that truth!

The people that we have met thus far have many stories such as this…each living their life’s journey and experiencing some defining moment that sharply changed their lives and their perspective of it. Because of their experiences, I have found some very brave human warriors who have battled adversity, health issues and general tough times. Each have been molded and shaped into humble, empathetic and friendly people…many with a humor like none other and an unwavering faith in a power, greater than man. I call it God and am thankful for the opportunity to share time with his children along this journey.

Happy 13th Anniversary Connie and Michael!!!

May 5, 2008

 May 5, 2008 - Carrabelle, Florida

What a complete surprise and delight we have found at the “Ho-Hum” campground in Carrabelle, Florida. The community center is about 3 miles down the road from the campground. It is a small, rural town tucked along the northern shore of the St. George Strait.

Across the way is Dog Island which stands as a primitive protective barrier Island. It appears to smile at us in the distance with its white sand beaches, bordered with pine and palm trees. The Island is only accessible by boat… boats being something proudly owned by most people. I’m not talking about the flotilla of yachts found in the big city waterways to the south. I’m talking about functional little aluminum skiffs or faded, weathered gray inflatables. The community people are very simple, friendly and don’t have much by others standards. Fishing is their livelihood and they are darned good at it!

Our campsite backs right up to the beach, so Bruce has our inflatable ready to launch whenever the urge arises. The managers of the campground are actually from Lighthouse Point which is the town that borders Deerfield Beach to the south. They stay here for six months and help out around the 30 site park…very friendly and full of fishing tips for Bruce!

I think we’ll be staying here for a week and cut our visit to Destin shorter. We’ve been told that although Destin is pretty it has a busier pace and crowded beaches. We are finding the solitude and peace of this small community to be to our liking. There are laundry facilities, a shower and a fishing pier and that is all that it takes to satisfy us! I found a small IGA store for groceries. I am able to walk the one mile beach in the morning with Maizy and never see a house or another person. It’s safe and beautiful. Maizy seems very pleased at being off her leash and able to run through the water in total freedom. We are all happy and content. God’s blessings abound!

May 4, 2008

May 4, 2008 - Crystal River to Carabbelle, Florida

Today we packed up and headed out of Crystal River. The campground filled over the weekend with family groups and friends. The area offers something for everyone’s interest and at night we could see people sitting around camp fires laughing and sharing their day’s experience.

Not only were there some serious fishermen/women, I found that there were some very serious cooks in the campground. As I walked our dog, I saw huge stainless steel BBQ’s that people had brought from home, along with big, black barrel smokers and huge pots for boiling shrimp or frying who knows what! A group of girls circulated the campground in a golf cart selling fresh boiled Cajun peanuts for $3 a bag. They smelled pretty good, but a bit spicy!

With all of the campers, we expected a traffic bottle neck getting away on Sunday morning, but luckily that was not the case. The roads north were both well maintained and free of traffic.

Instead of going to church, we decided to visit and pay homage to the town of Rosewood, FL. A few years ago, we rented a movie called, Rosewood and were deeply affected when at the end of the film, we found out that the story was true.

It was about a small, peaceful black community situated near Cedar Key on the Gulf coast of Florida. In January of 1923 a white woman from a neighboring community had an affair with a Caucasian man. When her husband found out, rather than confessing the truth, she fabricated a lie, accusing a black man from Rosewood of raping her. A white vigilante group organized (I’m certain that KKK members joined in), set fire to the town and killed a number of people. Black families fled into the pine forests literally running for their lives. Survivors vowed to never speak of the attack, until 1974, when the woman finally came forward with the truth. In 1994 Governor Jeb Bush made monetary restitution to the survivors and set up an ongoing college fund for descendants of those that were killed or terrorized.

Pine forest

There is nothing left but a memorial sign and the thick, old pine forest. At one point during our short visit we headed down a wrong street (our GPS failed us!).It was a rural residential area where I had to back the trailer about a quarter mile. The street was dotted with modest homes and trashy mobiles, some flying confederate flags…each front door swinging open to allow their inhabitants to peer through from their darkness at what these weird people were doing backing a trailer rig down their street. Luckily no one came out strumming a banjo.



We’ve heard reference many times about how southern Florida is more like the northern Atlantic states and northern Florida is like the southern states. As we venture up into the panhandle and begin to hear a thick, distinct drawl, I have no doubt that we are entering the Deep South!